Ready in the Dark

Man has been afraid of the dark since the dawn of time. Chiefly because he couldn’t see predators or the other dangers around him. Throw in some superstition, religion, relatively poor night vision and you have a recipe for a profound fear of the dark.

A few thousand years later, we’ve largely overcome this fear by chasing away the darkness with artificial lights. The term “skyglow” has been coined to describe the level of light pollution that now exists in the world’s urban areas. But, in solving one problem, we’ve created others. The near constant exposure to light has impacted the migration of some bird species and our health has been impacted as well. While nighttime is still bedtime for hundreds of millions of people, some 50 million Americans grapple with a sleep disorder of some form and about sixteen percent of Americans work overnight shifts. Neither of these dynamics lends themselves to us being “up and at ‘em.”   

Throw in the specter of random street crime and a population of sick and sickly, you begin to understand why the nighttime hours continues to pose significant risks. Due to the nature of our physiology, sleep is supposed to be restful, the time when the body repairs itself and restores vigor. Medication, sheer exhaustion, orders filled by mobile, unlicensed pharmacists and alcohol consumption all conspire to make sleep far from recuperative. In turn, this makes the early minutes of wakefulness foggy.

My Obstructive Sleep Apnea and CPAP machine use, fifteen years later, are still difficult to manage given my overnight work schedule. I wake up disoriented and rarely feel well-rested. To manage against this, I keep things like my wallet and keys in the same place, so I always know where they are, even in the dark. I also take a minute or two to get my bearings upon waking as I’m sometimes confused as to the time of day since I use blackout curtains. Twice in the last four years, I rushed to work at 7:30am, mistakenly thinking that I’d overslept. The truth is that I slept for 2 hours and woke up disoriented. After enduring the laughter and teasing of my coworkers, I went back home and slept.   

Of course, anything can happen and disorientation upon waking is common and a serious hindrance to making quick decisions. I referenced routine and consistency a moment ago. Both are important as they help us stay organized and function in predictable ways, plus they can keep us safe.

As an inveterate prepper, my entire two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is a 1200 square feet storeroom. In my bedroom, a weight bench sits at the foot of the bed and a treadmill is between the bench and the closet doors. A desk in is the corner and a pedestal fan is either on or next to the treadmill. Since I know where everything is, I manage to avoid breaking my leg in the dark, when I reluctantly get up to go to the bathroom. Fumbling around in the dark looking for the flashlight?

Nope, that sits atop my nightstand, next to the CPAP machine. Since I know where the obstacles are, I can easily avoid them. A stationary bike is in the living room, in exactly the spot where my left foot lands as I enter the room. Every corner has something neatly tucked into it. Every wall is lined with more than just furniture. A few stubbed toes later, I can navigate the entire maze that is my apartment in the dark without injury.  

There are more benefits to order and routine. Where you place your wallet, purse and keys matters as you likely grab them without thinking about where they are. It’s only when you misplace them, or someone moves them that you experience frustration and confusion.

Confusion is what makes nighttime disasters so much more frightening and dangerous.  Bugging out at night is very different from evacuating your high-rise condo due to a fire alarm activation. In the former, there’s likely a plan of some sort- hopefully! – and the emergency isn’t imminent. In the latter, uncertainty reigns and seconds may make the difference. Fortunately, you’re talking with you your secret weapon and superpower: your ability to analyze, identify patterns and to think critically.

Resist the temptation to panic, jump to conclusions and to do nothing. Keep your wits about you and think it through with the information you have. If you have none, get it. Look outside, what do you see and hear? Do you smell anything unusual? Is the power still on? Do you have a cell signal? Is there an emergency alert on the TV, your phone or radio? The kooky neighbor whom you avoid at the mailbox might be helpful. The point here is to leave no reasonable stone unturned to gather information. Information is more than just power, it’s life!

As you go about the daily grind, occasionally look up and around. You’d be amazed at what you don’t notice because you’re either staring at your phone or screaming into it. Occasionally, be the passenger and make it a point to look out the window as another drives. If you don’t normally walk or ride your bike in the neighborhood at night, try it. Again, things will look and be different from how they appeared in the early morning and afternoon. It goes without saying that I’m suggesting you do these things only if it’s safe to do so in your area. Engage your family and members of your network.

You don’t need to memorize every blade of grass in your neighborhood, or many bricks are on the façade of the house across the street. How far to the expressway, nearest hospital or nearest pharmacy? Is there a park nearby? If the park is a no-go during daylight hours, you’re asking for unnecessary trouble venturing in at night. Schools, malls, grocery stores and gas stations, know how far you are from them as such landmarks rarely change and you can use them as navigational aids. Whether your memory is eidetic or photographic, use it to note the lay of the land. This intimate knowledge will come in handy if you ever need to GTFO once SHTF.

Being afraid of the dark is natural and usually not a crippling fear. Nighttime disasters will always be a thing and the danger is magnified because of the darkness. However, it need not be a death sentence. Below are a few suggestions to help you better prepare for a potential nighttime disaster.    

ð       At a minimum, ensure that your go bags are in an easy to grab location. By the door, whichever you use, in the garage or in the car.

ð       Conduct mock drills with the family to see how long it takes to get organized and out of the house. This is especially effective with young children.

ð       Establish a meeting point for if you must quickly leave the house and can’t do so as a group. Make sure everyone knows where to go. A trusted neighbor’s house or the lamppost on the corner.

ð       Have a means of communication: cell phones, two-way radios, satellite phones.

ð       The up-to-date notebook with your important documents should also be backed up on a USB drive and in your go bag.

ð       Get dressed and put on shoes, not sandals. Consider hiking boots, if appropriate.

ð       Consider seasonal garments- jackets / hats / gloves / scarves, as appropriate.

ð       Regularly discuss your plans with family and the close, trusted friends in your network. This ensures that everyone knows what to do and what’s expected of them.

ð       Practice safely exiting the building in the dark. Drive your evacuation route after dark. As your comfort and confidence levels increases, your discomfort will decrease.